Arts Programming at St. Matthias

In March 2024 The Chapel Gallery welcomes a highly anticipated exhibit The Last Resort: Black & white portraits of the people and places of Lahaina and Maui by Arifin Graham." This show opens on March 8th from 6:00-8:00pm. Artist talk at 6:30pm. Please note the Gallery Hours:  Saturday & Sunday, March 9 & 10 from 12 - 4 pm;  Friday, Saturday, Sunday March 15, 16, 17 from 12 - 4 pm.  For more information on the exhibit, please click: https://www.stmatthiasvictoria.ca/ministries/the-chapel-gallery/pages/upcoming-exhibit-the-last-resort  . To learn more about the artist, please click: https://www.stmatthiasvictoria.ca/ministries/the-chapel-gallery/pages/upcoming-exhibit-artist-bio

We greeted 2024 with a special celebration of "The Twelve Days of Christmas and The Epiphany," featuring original paintings by Michael Utgaard plus a graphic rose window image.  St. Matthias thanks John Azar and parishioner-sponsor Arifin Graham for bringing this opportunity forward.

The St. Matthias community humbly acknowledges our uninvited presence on the traditional land of the lək̓ʷəŋən People,  known today as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. We gather, worship and work in gratitude. 

What's new with  the Chapel Gallery?  

Indeed, we've been thinking hard, working to balance our set of human resources, administrative requirements and, of course, our community's great love for all the arts.  We have a new mission statement:

St. Matthias Church welcomes, encourages, and supports all arts by making space available for creation, display and performances.  Artists/creators are invited to explore and reflect on the liturgical seasons.

Information alert:  this might be more detail than you want!  Because the Chapel Gallery is (wonderfully!) formally a ministry of St. Matthias, we comply with the associated administrative requirements.  For example, when the Chapel Gallery is open to the public, we must ensure that a member of the parish, with Safe Church certification, is present. We must also ensure the proper security for opening and closing procedures.  Both administrative requirements require people power, and while our hearts are willing, our numbers are relatively few.  Accordingly, we've been thinking about how to be creative.  

One wonderful idea suggested we might shift the way we used to hold exhibitions.  We might, for example, perhaps post videos on our website and schedule in-person open times to those times when the church is open. 

In both of the 2024 exhibitions, we thank Arifin Graham for his generosity.  For  both "The Twelve Days of Christmas and the Epiphany" and for "The Last Resort," Arifin has led the coordination and scheduling process, as one of our parishioners also able to fulfill the administrative requirements.  

We're still mulling the possibilities.  As Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee says,  "The future is not going to look like the past, and the future is bright!"  We are proud of  the past outstanding seasons of the Chapel Gallery, giving such inspiration and joy.  That great foundation strengthens our faith in the bright, multifaceted future.  

The St. Matthias community has a deep and wide love of the arts: we treasure music and drama as well as the visual arts of painting, textiles and sculpture.  We look forward to embracing the possible expressions of the arts in forms related to liturgy and worship.  As an example, we invite you, with her kind permission, to recall our first season's exhibit by the wonderfully talented Pyx Sutherland.  It's seasonal -- now as we enter the season of Lent and its opportunity for reflection.  

Thank you for your interest and support.  In particular we extend our deepest appreciation to participating artists, the local community and visitors to Victoria.  We look forward to our future together!  We embrace our future as we treasure our past, so we invite you to review our earlier exhibitions by following the links below.  

To review earlier exhibitions:  For the first year, please click on this link:https://www.stmatthiasvictoria.ca/programs/the-chapel-gallerys-first-year

For the second year, please click on this link:  https://www.stmatthiasvictoria.ca/ministries/the-chapel-gallerys-second-year

For the third year, please click on this link: https://www.stmatthiasvictoria.ca/ministries/the-chapel-gallerys-third-year

For the fourth year (exhibits already concluded), please click on this link:  https://www.stmatthiasvictoria.ca/ministries/the-chapel-gallerys-fourth-year

We acknowledge with thanks the artists who have taken part.

Email any questions to wardens@stmatthiasvictoria.ca

 

 

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